Sherman Poppen’s Snurfer To Be Displayed In Smithsonian

Sherman Poppen built the first Snurfer in 1965—almost twenty years before snowboarding began to catch on. In 1995 at the inaugural Rider’s Poll, TransWorld honored Sherman with the first ever Tranny Award, which acknowledged achievements in excellence by individuals who brought a lasting and important contribution to the growth and development of the snowboarding industry. What could be more important of a contribution that the board itself?

But it looks like our acknowledgment has been completely overshadowed, according to an article in Sherman Poppen’s hometown paper, The Muskegon Chronicle, the Smithsonian has accepted three original Snurfers and scans of the original paperwork for his invention. According to the article, “Poppen’s display is expected to be part of the offerings at The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention & Innovation. Located in the National Museum of American History, The Lemelson Center is dedicated to exploring invention in history and encouraging inventive creativity in young people.”